Speier drove the point home. “Far be it for us to rely on the House of Representatives holding a hearing as being emblematic of justice because oftentimes it’s a political sandbox,” Speier said. “Now, this investigation is one that has been called on by Mr. Stearns who is the Subcommittee Chair of Energy and Commerce on Oversight. The hearing has never been held. So why would Susan G. Komen take the remarkable step of saying they are no longer going to fund Planned Parenthood?”

Speier did not end there. “I suppose when we review NIH and bring them under some investigation that they will stop funding NIH to the tune of $1 million, or I suppose that when we have a pharmaceutical company that we bring to the hill to ask them questions about a particular activity that they will stop accepting sponsor money from that particular pharmaceutical company.”

What tie Miller and Speire’s observations together is not a pro-choice stance (in fact, Miller makes it a point to note her critique is a marketing driven analysis and not political) but rightly calling out an organization that is supposed to be about saving women’s lives on a policy decision that politicizes and devalues them.

It’s a point not lost on those actually working directly with patients and Planned Parenthood, which is why local Komen affiliates are pushing back and insisting they will continue to keep funding open at the local level. And while this is hardly the first example of women’s lives being used as political footballs, it is perhaps the most offensive since it comes from an organization with an explicit mission to serve women and save lives.

Or at least that was its mission, prior to the lawsuits seeking to protect its branded “Race For the Cure” or its pinkwashing of every aspect of American pop-culture. The Susan G. Komen Foundation long strayed from its mission of battling breast cancer and, much like Narcissus, became so enamored with its own image it lost sight of its worth.

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106 comments

John Z Prophet; your ideology has no place in politics nor the law. You know the law, I don't need to remind you, so get this, your religion means only something to you. PPFA is not going to cow-tow to the ideologues who want to deny women of their reproductive rights. Get over yourself.

Lee W, I get IT very clearly. Do you? Politics is for people. Hearts are for God. Sadly, hearts once oriented towards God have now turned in towards themselves (self worship). This is self evident across the board. Very sad.

John Z Prophet - When are you going to get it? Religion doesn't belong in politics, ever and the last thing most Americans would ever want is a Theocratic state! If you have any respect at all for the U.S. Constitution, then you would understand separation of church and state must be adhered to. The Constitution and it's intent has been greatly undermined in the 20th and 21st centuries, by placing "In God We Trust" on currency, prayer in schools which has been outlawed but religious fanatics continue to fight to bring back, religious ideology in schools in the form of plaques, statues, etc. (which some are still getting away with), and in the Pledge of Allegiance, etc. We need to move God out of politics and allow individuals to worship as they choose. There is no reason why religious zealots need have influence in any aspect of government and it has become so pervasive, it's undermining our very Democracy.

Gone, appear to be the days where what is good for God, for the country, for civilisation, for our descendants are motivational factors in policy and position. Today, what is good for me and now seem to be the emerging panic values, which can distort any reality to that end, and have replaced the virtues of patience, longsuffering, charity, selflessness and their pursuit of what is true, noble, honest and holy.

There is a lack of purity of intention here along with the moral courage to take a stand and to stick to it. Thus corruption, dishonesty, contraception, abortion, euthanasia and so many other crimes against God and man are tolerated and promulgated.

With, by todays standards, a large family, there are numerous pink items in our home.

A quick read of various commentaries on this issue seems to indicate that nothing has changed within this issue other than a few minor policy terms drafted to defuse an alarming escalation. I hope these results to be the case and if so, will continue to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

If the alternative holds to be true, I am not surprised, nor scandalised. At one time, the west, from top to bottom, attempted to gear their policy and decision by what was true, noble, honest and holy, for the glory of God.

Today, the west has become nations of flip floppers, oriented to tickling ears of each passing fancy and in so doing risk loosing what are true, noble, honest and holy; all seemingly forgotten virtues that have been replaced by individual values.

Perhaps this is the crux of the problem. At one time, a Theo centric oriented west attempted to live by the Commandments and Golden Rule. Today, anthropocentric oriented west appears to be me focused with perhaps, rampant individualism being the hidden motivational factor.

Gone, appear to be the days where what is good for God, for the country, for civilisation, for our descendants are motivational factors in policy and position. Today, what is good for me and now seem to be the emerging panic values, which can distort any reality to that end, and

Handel is another Newt Protege' "Open mouth, Insert Foot, then try to brazen your way out. And when that doesn't work, claim it was all a mistake. I think she is in a position well beyond her capabilities. She needs to be another politician running for office for a living, like Mitt. Then you can keep saying stupid things and doing stupid things and saying, Woops, I misspoke.

Get it out of there if you ever expect to regain any credibility with the people who actually support womens health.